FAMILY PRESENTS: BEN WATT (Everything But The Girl)
Author: Seven
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
BEN WATT
(Everything But The Girl / Buzzin' Fly / Lazy Dog)
20 years in Everything But The Girl, 5 years in Lazy Dog and now Buzzin' Fly. Join us at Family as legendary Ben Watt brings his inspirational deep house DJ sound to Australia for the first time and starts a new era with his acclaimed new underground label, Buzzin' Fly Records (Best Breakthrough Label, House Music Awards 2004 )
Ben Watt is one half of Everything But The Girl, whose music has become increasingly informed by house and breakbeat culture since 1994 (notably Missing, Walking Wounded and the Massive Attack collaboration, Protection). His DJ work began in 1996, making his first appearance at James Lavelle's Dusted and then taking over from Howie B (co-producer on Walking Wounded) as a resident DJ-in-rotation at West London's chilled Sunday Club @ Paradise, spinning fortnightly freestyle sets of jazzy drum n bass and deep house.
In August 1997 he took his own drum n bass style into a well-received London residency at Bar Rumba's monthly Friday breakbeat night, Transition. Lazy Dog has given his love of deep house a fresh platform, and spawned many of the ideas on EBTG's 1999 album, Temperamental. He then turned in a series of acclaimed house remixes inspired by Lazy Dog - in particular, Sade's By Your Side (US Billboard Dance Chart No. 2, UK Cool Cuts No. 4, DJ Hype Chart No. 8, 7 Magazine Single Of The Week), Sunshine Anderson's Heard It All Before (US Billboard Dance Chart No. 11, UK Buzz Chart No. 8, 7 Magazine Essential House Tune), Maxwell's Lifetime (US Billboard Dance Sales Chart No. 1, UK Hype Chart No 13) and Me'shell Ndegeocello's Earth (US Billboard Dance Sales Chart No. 14, Muzik 5/5). The success of Lazy Dog led to appearances as guest mixer on BBC Radio 1's Danny Rampling Show and Mary Anne Hobbs' Breezeblock, as well as headline DJ slots with Jay all over North America and Europe.
After the massively successful Lazy Dog series, Ben launched into his new incarnation, Buzzin' Fly Vol. 01. Drawing on the emergent talent of his burgeoning underground label, Buzzin' Fly Records and the spirit of his recently opened West London club, 'Neighbourhood', where the Buzzin' Fly Sunday night throwdown is setting the pace for a new direction in deep tender-tough house, the compilation marks an exciting new release.
Buzzin' Fly Records was launched in April 2003. It's debut release, Watt's 'Lone Cat (Holding On)' was bootlegged from one of only 50 early white labels, and since it's commercial release has gone on to sell approaching 10,000 copies in the UK (12 inch vinyl only). It was followed by the latino-disco summer anthem, 'Musica Feliz' by new French-Portuguese production trio, Rodamaal. Autumn 2003 saw the serene electro-tribalism of 'Do You Feel-' by New York duo Automagic featuring Washington D.C. diva Aswan, whose live performances at Buzzin' Fly events in London and New York have brought the house down. Year-round DJ support has come from a diverse range of heavyweights - not only soulful players such as Brian Tappert, Miguel Migs, Marques Wyatt, Jay-J, Timmy Regisford and Julius Papp, but switched on by the label's stronger flavors, tougher DJs such as Ian Pooley, Layo, Halo and Hip-ee and Roger Sanchez.
After a series of special summer 2003 launch parties in London and North America, Buzzin' Fly's regular party Neighbourhood is attracting up to 600 people on any given Sunday. The night revolves around Watt's own sets, introduces new talent from the label roster (Rodamaal's DJ Rocco is a co-resident), as well as guest appearances from the likes of Charles Webster and King Britt.
The 11-track CD contains four unreleased Buzzin' Fly gems, one brand new exclusive Watt remix and six rare handpicked tracks. If Watt's last mix for Lazy Dog 2 focussed on the well-loved Latin peaks and soulful throb of the club night that inspired it, Buzzin' Fly Vol 01 steps off into a deeper channel that reflects< Tags